EFFECT OF FOOT REFLEXOLOGY ON THE SEVERITY OF CONSTIPATION OF ELDERLY WOMEN RESIDING IN KAHRIZAK GERIATRIC NURSING HOME

Constipation is a common digestive problem in older adults that causes negative effects on their quality of life. To remedy this problem in the elderly, there are different ways of complementary and alternative medicine. The study aimed to determine the effects of foot reflexology on the severity of constipation of elderly women residing in Kahrizak Geriatric Nursing Home. The present study was a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial. The samples consisted of 56 elderly women with constipation according to the diagnostic criteria of Rome III in Kahrizak nursing home, which were randomly divided into two 28-person group of the intervention and control. The instrument used in this study included demographic questionnaire and Constipation Assessment Scale which was completed by the assessor unaware of the intervention. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 20 software. Chi-square test, independent t-test, ANOVA & Fisher tests were used. According to the independent t-test, the difference between the severity of constipation in both experimental and control groups at the end of the first six weeks was significant. It means that the first week is the start of the intervention effect, and in general, foot reflexology was effective on the severity of constipation in the elderly women nursing home residents. (P value < 0.001) This study showed that reflexology can be effective as a complementary and non pharmacologic method to reduce the severity of constipation in older women, and nurses can use this simple, inexpensive and uncomplicated method as a complementary method in caring the elderly patients with constipation.